Blank for packaging of books and the like



Jan. 22, 1957 A. c. Bol-ral.

BLANK FOR PACKAGING OF BOOKS AND THE LIKE Filed May 12, 1952 F IGZ.

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BLANK FOR PACKAGING OF BOOKS AND TI-IE LIKE Arwed C. Boitel, Evanston, Ill., assigner to Atlas-Boxmakers, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1952, Serial No. 287,282

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-40) This invention relates to a blank for book-wraps and the like, and to the application of the blank to the article being wrapped so as to form a shipping package therefor. While the invention will be described as a bookwrap, it is to be understood that the invention is also useful in the wrapping of other articles such as boxes of candy or cigars, bottled goods, pads or piles of paper, or in general any reasonably iirm article having length, breadth, and thickness.

Heretofore various efforts have been made to provide a blank which could be folded into a shipping package for books. These blanks are generally formed of corrugated paper board and are precut and prescored so as to facilitate their conformation about a book. A common type of book-wrap is formed from a cross-shaped blank, and while this type is relatively easy to apply (skilled workers sometimes achieving a wrapping rate of two hundred fifty per hour), it is deficient in providing but scant protection for the corners, which are the most vulnerable parts, of the contained book. Other types have been provided which adequately protect the corners of the book, but these are cumbersome and time-consuming in application.

The object of the present invention is to provide a book-wrap or the like which is both adequately protective and easy to apply.

A further object is to provide a device for facilitating the conformation of a pre-cut-and-scored blank about a book or the like.

These and other objectives of the invention, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are accomplished by providing a at, substantially rectangular blank, scored and cut to dene an intermediate panel whose area approximates the area of one surface of the book, and also to dene aps providing a double thickness of blank material at all four corners (with but a single thicknessover the major part of the flat surfaces) of the book. Such a blank, with a book superimposed upon the intermediate panel thereof may be forced through a mold so constructed and arranged that the several flaps are folded toward and about the book, in proper sequence to form an enclosure therefor, by simple application of pressure upon the book (without moving it relative to the intermediate panel of the blank) and finally upon the aps which overlie it. The invention contemplates that the motion of forcing the blank through the mold not only completes the enclosure about the book, but so internests the several tlaps that the enclosure is held together, at least temporarily. Thereafter, if desired, the enclosure may be more securely connected by adhering adjacent flaps together, as by adhesive between overlapping flaps', or by a strip of gummed tape across the joint between adjacent flaps.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an inside up plan view of a blank embodying the present invention;

formed from the blank shown in Figure 1;

nited States Patent() Figure 3 is an inside up plan view of another form of blank; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a completed package formed from the blank shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figure l, a blank is shown (inside up) which is proportioned `to wrap a book whose cover area is approximately the same as, but somewhat less in each direction than panel 1 which is defined by score lines 2, 3,

4, and 5. Side aps 6 and 7 lie outwardly of score lines' 2 and 3, and are defined between score lines 104 and 105 which are parallel to, but offset by the thickness of the blank from alignment with score lines 4 and 5 respectively.

In parallel spaced relationship with score line 4 is a score line 11 which terminates short of the margins of the blank at score lines 200 and 300. The latter are parallel with but offset from alignment with score lines 2 and 3 respectively by the thickness of the blank. Between lines 4 and 11 is an end panel S. Embraced by lines 11, 200 and 300 is a cover panel 9 of length not quite two thicknesses of blank less than the length of panel 1; that is to say, the cover'panel 9 is slightly longer than the distance between score lines 104 and 105. Outwardly of score lines 200 and 300, side aps 12 and 13 extend from cover panel 9. Adjacent scorelines 200 and 300, flaps 12 and 13 have the same length as the cover panel, but at their outer margins said aps are shorter than the cover panel. Beyond score lines 104 and 105, corner flaps 14 and 15 extend from side flap 6, and corner flaps 16 and 17 extend from side flap 7. Beyond score line 5,

an end panel 18 extends from panel 1 and therebeyond l a cover panel 19 is provided. A score line 20 terminating short of the margins of the blank extends between panels 18 and 19. The panel 19 is dened between score lines 22 and 23, which are parallel, but inwardly olset (for twice the thickness of the blank) from alignment with score lines 2 and 3 respectively. Outwardly of score lines 22 and 23, side flaps 24 and 25 extend from panel 19.

The corner ap 14 is integrally connected with side flap 6 but is severed from end flap 8 and side'tlap 12 by a cut line which includes: a cut 26 immediately outside score line 2 as projected; a cut 27 parallel with score line 11 but` olset from alignment therewith by the thickness of the blank; a well-rounded corner 28 between cuts 26 and 27; and a flaring cut 29 adjacent the marginal part of ap 12. The corner flaps 15, 16, and 17 are similarly severed from all adjacent parts with the exception of the side aps .6 or 7, to which latter the corner flaps are integrally hinged.

Between score line 200 and cut` line 26 a short cut line 111 extends in alignment with score line 11. A like cut is made at the opposite extremity of score line 11. Similarly cut lines (twice the lengthy of 111) are made at the extremities of score line 20.

The outer corners of side flaps 12 and 13 may be beveled as shown but it is advantageous to retain a liberal shoulder perpendicular to score lines 200 and 300 as shown at'121 and 131. The latter, in the completed package, forms a secure friction lock against the interior ythe blank be made of corrugated paper-board such as the so-called B corrugation with double facing. Other types of paper-board may be used, however.

To set up the blank into a package about a book or the like, the latter is placed upon a blank, within the connes of panel 1, and then: first, the corner llaps 14 and 16 are turned upwardly about lines 10,4[as a hinge, and

corner aps 15 and 17 are likewise turned upwardly about Patented Jan. 22, '1957* arrasa@ lines 105- asa hinge; next therseveral side flaps are turned upy about the score lineswhich constitute their respective hinge connections to the panels 1, 9, and 19; next the panels 8 and 9 are turned upwardly about score line 4 as a hinge (without breaking the hinge at score line 11) and panels 18 and 19 likewise hinged upwardly aboutr score line (without breaking the hinge at score line Ztl); then panel 19 is` hinged about score line'20.v to bring it into perpendicular relationship With panel 1S and parallel relationship with panel 1, with corner flapsand 17 contiguous withv panel 18 and side flaps 24 and 25 on the inner side of side flaps 6 and 7; and iinally panel 9 is hinged about score line 11 to bring it into perpendicular relationship with panel 8 and parallel relationship with. panel 1, with corner flaps 14 and 16 contiguous with panel 8y and side flaps 12 and 13 nested respectively be-v tween side iiapsv 6-24 and '7e-:25, as shown in FigurevZ. At'the same time, shoulders 121 and 131 are forced into resilient frictional abutment with theinside of corner flaps 1S and 17 respectively. Such sequential manipulation of the several aps and panels is not easy to accomplish with only two hands, particularly if it be attempted (as it must be) to envelop a book or the like during the process, but the result is readily, quickly, and easily achieved, Without any special dexterity by aid of 'the mold disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 361,673, iiled June, 15, 1953. Where the blanks are made of corrugated paperboard, as contemplated, and the mold is to be used in setting them up, it is important that the corrugations do not run parallel to the score lines 4, S, 11' and 20, and indeed preferable that they run parallel to score lines 2 and 3, as otherwise the hinge may break at lines 11 or before, rather than after, it breaks at lines 4l and- 5.

It will be observed particularly that the dimension of the corner flaps 14, 15, 16, and 17 lengthwise of the blank, e. g., the distance between score line 104 and out line 27, is greater than the corresponding dimension of the adjacent end panel, e. g., the distance between. score lines 4. and 11. It will be further observed that the dimension of the corner ilaps 1'5 and 17, widthwisc of the blank, is less than the corresponding dimension of the side flaps 6 and 7. In all the corner flaps, however, the cut line 26 for ap 14, andthe corresponding cut line for aps 15, 16, and 17, is disposed immediately outside the score lines 2 or 3, as the case may be.

This relationship of the dimensions enables the end,

of ap 12 represented by cut line 27 to pass freely over region 300i flap 14 during the step at which the cover panel is moved toward its final position. When ap 14v is turned so as to be at right angles With both side flap 6 f and panel 1 and be parallel with end panel 8, the roundingy of corners 2S accomplishes a progressive wedg1 ing at region of flap 14, as panel 9 is moved intQ parallel relationship with panel 1. Similar action occurs at each. of the four corners.

The insetting of the outer margins of corner flaps 15 and' 17, and likewise the outer margins of side flaps 24 and 25, permits cover panel 19 to assume a position parallel with intermediate panel 1 by underlying cover panel 9 Without interfering with the ultimate parallel relationship between panels 1 and 9.

The completed package, resulting from the blank shDW in Figure l, is shown in Figure 2.

Another form of blank suitable for making a package of the general character described, but not having the self-locking feature of the blank shown in Figure 1, is shown in Figure 3. In this embodiment, the several parts of the blank which correspond respectively to the blank shown in Figure 1 are indicated by reference characters end edges of panels 109 and 119, when folded into linal position, abut or nearly abuty each other; and the joint between them may be covered by a strip of gummed tape. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, all corner flaps 114, 115, 116, and 117 are of the same dimension, and likewise all the side flaps 106, 107, 112, 113, 124, and are of the same widthwise dimension because, in this instance, the cover flap 119 is not required, asin the previous embodiment, to assume a nal position in a plane below the plane of cover panel 109.

The completed package, resulting from the blank shown in Figure 3 is shown in Figure 4.

With an apparatus of the character described in my aforesaid application and using blanks ot the character described, a single attendant with but brief experience can achieve a wrapping rate of four or five hundred books per hour. The wrapping is not only easy to apply, but affords double thickness protection at each corner of the book or other Wrapped article.

From the foregoing description, those skilled in the art should readily understand that the invention accomplishes its objects in a highly expeditious, facile and ecof nomic manner, While one complete embodiment of the blank has been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood thaty such disclosure is solely for the purpose of illustra tion and not by way of limitation. it is apparent that many modifications and variations will present themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this invention, and it is to be distinctly understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to the embodiment-herein specifically disclosed.

Having thus. described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A blank for a book wrap or the like comprising a generally rectangular sheet of corrugated paperboard whose corrugations run parallel to the long dimension thereof; said sheet being, scored perpc'ndicularly to its longer dimension to delineate an intermediate panel, a pair of end panels hinged respectively to said intermediate panel along score lines at opposite ends thereof, and a pair of cover panels beyond the end panels and each hinged to its adjacent end panel along a score line; and said sheet being scored parallel with its longer dimension to delineate side iiaps at opposite sides of each of said intermediate and cover panels; and corner iiaps at each end of both side iiaps of the intermediate panel, cach of said corner aps being hinged to its adjacent side ap of the intermediate panel along a score line which is oiset inwardly a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the blank from the score line hinging its adjacent end panel to the intermediate'panel, each of said corner aps being severed from its adjacent end panel and from the side aps of its adjacent cover panel; and the line severance defining the end edge of the cover panel side ilap adjacent a corner iiap extending a short distance to form a shoulder outwardly of and in substantial alignment with the score line between the adjacent end and cover panels, said line of severance extending outwardlyy from said shoulder to a point which is disaligned with said score line a dis tance at least egual to the thickness of the blank, said disalignment being in the direction toward the nearest end of. the blank, the opposite end edge of said cover panel side ap detining a second shoulder adjacent the terminal edgeuofsaidv cover panel, and the distance between said shoulders being greater, by less than two thicknesses of blank, than the distance between the score lines which hinge the corner iiaps to their associated intermediate panel side aps.

References Cited in the iile of thispatent UNITED S'lAlES PATENTS 1,794,631 Lukett -fe-Y-t---f---f Mar- 3, 1931 I (Other references on following page) 5 Wallace Aug. 2, 1932 Spiking Mar. 19, 1935 Kondolf Aug. 20, 1935 Ness Mar. 22, 1938 Mazer Mar. 7, 1939 5 Heft Oct. 31, 1939 Platt Aug. 10, 1943 6 Guyer Aug. 6, 1946 James July 5, 1949 MacKenzie Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS France June 2, 1906 

